Since I have never written before, I have been surprised that since I have lifted the lid of Pandoras box, so many thoughts and ideas have been spewing (sic) out!
The main one being my own music taste and whether I’m as adventureous as I think I am, is my taste as wide as I think – or am I tied to a certain style and decade?
Travis sung about it and whilst I’m no huge fan I took time to listen and read the lyrics. Its either a song about how great the 90’s are/were but then it changes lyrically to be about being tired of the 90’s “I know its all in my head” sings Fran – maybe that’s my problem. Great song by the way – Need to listen to Travis a bit more.
So if am I tied to the 90’s and therefore in being so am I tied to the 60’s? Is my default setting always going to be 4 or 5 blokes in a band belting out anthemic indie rock with a swagger and an attitude, dressed well with not a lot else to say? Or do I go deeper then this?
As I started writing my musical journey I took pride in the fact that I have been brought up on a variety of different styles of music and living through most of the 70’s, all of the 80’s and on wards my ears have been open to the good bad and indifferent. But have I run down a cul-de-sac?
So why do I like Indie music? What is it in me that resonates? Is it the little man trying to give The Man a punch on the nose – David against Goliath, Jack and the Giant, a FA Cup Scalp for a lower league club?. Is the music just better? More accessible? More of a gang, like minded people coming together and being passionate? Is it all of these things? But am I just a music snob?
Just yesterday I was accused of such, because I dared to question the NME reporting on Gavin Rossdale and his band Bush, I was surprised by the anger I received for questioning their relevance. I was accused of being a snob. I stand by my decision and opinion that they are shit and always have been, they offer no relevance to me and as Morrissey said “They say nothing about my life”. But it made me think – especially as this blog was in its infancy. But if I was being accused of having “fucked hearing” and a snob when it comes to Bush I can accept that and any other band I think are rubbish – opinions are like arseholes ultimately everyone has one, but not all opinions have to be shit.
Many years ago I read a piece on Lemmy from Motorhead – he made a point that I still use as much as possible when it comes to music. I will paraphrase but ultimately he said “I may not like you or your music, but I will defend to the death you right to make it” I get that. However the Punk attitude was about destroying all what came before – stamp it out. Ground Zero. Even Ian Brown said and again I paraphrase “we’ve just got to get in there and stamp them out” – he was talking about the charts when Fools Gold broke big – get Phil Collins etc out of the charts. It was his bands time.
So as I find more and more new music to listen to, I have already started to pull away from the norm – I think so anyway – going for more quirky stuff, music that really isn’t being listened to just yet, is that my purpose? But I really like a lot of the more traditional bands out there at the minute – The Crooks, The Mariners, Crimson Bloom etc. Great songs, built on foundations that came before. I find Citylightz fascinating and very interesting – I said before they remind me of The Specials and they seem to sit differently amongst their peers due to a rap/rock sound.
But what of the ladies? I have two daughters, and I always have been more comfortable with the female of the species once I hit my teens. I’m not really a lads, lad. So naturally I want to hear and see more females in music and making music.
It’s a great thing that one of the most well known promoter’s of new music is female – Shiner Sam is flying the flag for both females in music as well as new music. SKIES are another, fronted by the brilliant Alie. There are a few solo females as well and The Mysterines have an amazing lead in Lia. So things are looking good. But again do I always go back to 4/5 Men in a band? Do we all? This is a bigger debate about sexism in music so I’ll get back to my original point.
I think for now I will continue to be open minded as much as I can, listen to recommendations and make up my own mind regardless of perceived snobbery – it may not matter – it may be just the way I am. Maybe I am over thinking it.
But ask yourself – am I a music snob?
Really interested in a response and comments to this and I may return to some of the questions I have asked with some answers.
PNL
Michael
The Rebirth Of Cool 